Math and the Rise of Civilization
tv show

5 total episodes
-
1 seasons
First Aired December 19, 2011
Genres:
Overview
A guided tour of the history of numbers and how they’ve shaped the development of humankind is at the heart of this unique series. In five episodes that take us across time and around the world, we see how mathematics played an important role in ancient Egypt and Greece, early India, medieval Europe, and our own modern world. Computer graphics make mathematical formulae accessible and interesting, while dramatic reenactments of history pique the viewer’s interest.

The Elements
Season 1 - Episode 2 - 1h 50m
Air Date
December 20, 2011
Overview
In this episode we move to the Greek civilization, where meticulous thinkers used logic and reason to build the foundations of mathematics laid down by the Egyptians. Along with Pythagoras, to whom we owe the famous theorem, these philosophers have shown, through mathematics, the principles of geometry we know today.